The Puck Stops Here: The Award Ceremony

Giving fantasy awards is one of my favorite topics as a fantasy writer. It allows me to look back on the year and really see how right or wrong I was with my preseason expectations. Before jumping into the awards let's take a look at how I did with some of my preseason predictions. If you take a look back at my Welcome Back article, you will see I made a few predictions on some late round players that could help your team.

I would not say I was completely right on any of them, but the only major miss was Jack Johnson. The best pick of the bunch was Joni Pitkanen, who found himself as serviceable third or fourth defensemen throughout the entire season. Giroux, Cole, Williams, and Letang have all been useful to teams during the stretch run and fantasy playoffs. Williams has been on fire since being traded to Columbus and Cole has been equally hot in Carolina. Letang has been a solid third or fourth defenseman over the last month, and Giroux has been producing over the last two or three weeks. I will admit that I was probably a year too early for Giroux. He will be one of my favorite sleepers heading into next year.

Well, let's get to the awards. Remember, when I give awards, I consider draft value and position scarcity.

MVP: Zach Parise, LW, New Jersey Devils
Runners Up: Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Jeff Carter

This decision came down purely to draft value. If you take that out of the equation, the award goes to Ovi. However, Parise has produced comparable numbers while being drafted about 80 picks later. Parise is second in goals, fifth in points, eighth in +/-, and top 20 in assists. That kind of production is unheard of from an eighth rounder. Drafting Parise this year was like winning the fantasy hockey lottery. My only knock on Parise is he has cooled off down the stretch when his owners need him the most. I hope you enjoyed drafting Parise in the eigthth round because he is a sure bet first rounder come next season.

Best Defenseman: Mike Green, D, Washington Capitals
Runners Up: Zdeno Chara, Rob Blake, Shea Weber, Sheldon Souray

This was a pretty easy decision. When goals come at a premium, lighting the lamp 30 times from the blue line is infinately valuable. Among defenseman, Green had eight more goals than the second and third and had 13 more goals than anyone else. Green was also second in power play points, seventh in +/-, and also added a very respectable 64 PIM. Green was so good, he was more valuable than most forwards this year, with an overall rank of ninth. The inclusion of Rob Blake, Shea Weber, and Sheldon Souray in the Runner Up section proves my point that you don't need to pay for defense. A smart owner can always find strong defensive talent late in drafts.

Best Goaltender: Steve Mason, G, Columbus Blue Jackets
Runners Up: Tim Thomas, Niklas Backstrom, Pekka Rinne, Cam Ward

This decision is slight more difficult than Defense, but remains a no brainer. The race for Vezina is tighter, but when you consider the cost of each goaltender, Mason soars above the rest. Mason went vastly undrafted, yet is second in GAA, sixth in S%, first in shut outs and ninth in wins. Thomas' numbers may have been slightly better, but you had to actually spend one of your top ten draft picks to get Thomas. Mason was just sitting there for free on the waiver wire. It might mean taking risks, but when see a young goalie with a strong pedigree get a chance, you should jump on him. This year you would have been rewarded with Mason and Rinne. Again, pay the premium for offense and multi-tool forwards.

Best Rookie Not Named Steve Mason: Pekka Rinne, G, Nashville Predators
Runners Up: Steven Stamkos, Bobby Ryan, Kris Versteeg

I didn't want to give this to Mason because I wanted to highlight how good Rinne has been. Rinne is right up there with Mason in most statistics but trails in wins and shutouts. Had Nashville realized how good Rinne was from the start, wins and shutouts may be even. Although Veersteeg and Ryan were both very solid rookies this year, Rinne runs away with this as being a top five goalie. Between Versteeg and Ryan, I'll give the nod to Versteeg for his ability to help out in PIM as well. The 2008-09 rookie class didn't have the headliners we have grown accustomed to over the past few years, but it built a solid base for future production. I think Versteeg develops into a Brendan Morrow type stud.

Biggest Disappointment: Olli Jokinen, C, Phoenix/Calgary
Runners Up: Senators Trio, Dion Phaneuf, Thomas Vanek,

Before I start, I am ruling out players from consideration that lost significant time to injuries. This was almost as tough as choosing MVP, but Jokinen stooped below all others. Jokinen cost fantasy owners a fourth or fifth rounder, but never even sniffed that kind of value. Even when things began to look optimistic in Calgary, he rewarded his owners with two points over his last ten games. Just ask a disgruntled owner who traded for Jokinen after his hot start in Calgary. Jokinen disappointed at every stage of the season. I was also very close to given this award to Heatley, but he just barely missed the cut. However, the Senators' big three should be ashamed of their woeful play this season.

Best Goon: David Backes, RW, St. Louis Blues
Runners Up: Scott Hartnell, Alex Burrows, Daniel Carcillo, David Clarkson

This was a tough choice between Carcillo and Backes. On the one hand, Carcillo had 51 more PIM than anyone else and 91 more than Backes, but on the other, Backes topped 30 goals and had 41 more points than Carcillo. I have to go with Backes because he didn't cost you any categories and could win you PIM. Some will roster Carcillo for his PIM, but you know he isn't going to ever help anywhere else. While an abundance in fantasy is never a bad thing, you would have been dominant in PIM with Backes, but Carcillo would have been overkill that isn't worth the loss on offense. Burrows comes in third, but not by much. I like Burrows and Backes as guys who could fly under the radar during drafts next season and be even better.

I hope you enjoyed the awards. This will be the last of the weekly Puck Stops Here columns until next season. However, I am sure I will make a return at various points during the offseason. Keep an eye out for articles around the end of the playoffs, the NHL draft and the during free agency. Until next time, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: Closing Time

Whelp, my fantasy hockey season came to an abrupt end this weekend with early exists in all of my leagues. I am in three different leagues, two of which I was in first heading into the playoffs, and I got bounced before the finals. I am becoming a bigger fan of rotisserie each season. The worst part of my early exists is that in both leagues that I was in first, I lost because of outrageous streaming. In both instances, I was playing the lowest seed that streamed every day. Head to head rewards mediocrity by allowing a mediocre team more options to stream with than a good one. To say the least, I am very frustrated.

For those of you who were fortunate enough to survive, keep plugging away, two more weeks for all the marbles. After my experiences, I can’t recommend streaming anymore, even if your opponent is doing it, take the high road and be proud you didn’t need to cheat to win. However, make sure you keep an eye on your roster, any questionable injuries that could linger for a couple days need to be dealt with immediately. I recommended it last week, but over two weeks lingering injuries from a couple players could mean four or five games missed. Also, you need each start you can get from your goaltenders, make sure you keep an eye on who is starting. GoaliePost.com and TheHockeyProgram.net excellent resources for this.

Staying on the topic of goaltenders, Craig Anderson seems to be the hot goalie in Florida and the Panthers are going to ride that streak until it ends. I recommend picking up Anderson. Four goalies over a two-week period can really give you a distinct advantage, especially if they are all good options. After only playing once in March, Anderson has started three games in a row and is posting solid numbers. Florida is playing well and Anderson should have a chance to win each night. Tomas Vokoun owners should be worried, if Anderson continues to play well, Vokoun won’t start again. If you own Vokoun, Anderson is must add.

I am not going to spend a lot of time on Alex Burrows because I have been touting him for weeks, but why is he barely 50% owned. He has been a top 20 player for over a month now and delivers in all categories. Perhaps his ownership is a reflection of fewer owners paying attention because they lost already, but if you are still playing, get Burrows. Did I mention he is playing with the Sedin twins who are scorching hot right now?

Toronto isn’t winning a whole lot right now, but they are actually playing much better hockey. If I were a betting man, I’d put money that they steal a game from Philly this week (written prior to Wednesday night's match up). A major contributor to Toronto’s play has been Alex Ponikarovski. Ponikarovski is scorching hot. He is on a five game scoring streak including a three and four point performance in that stretch. Toronto has nothing to play for, but is still scoring like they are in the hunt. They play four more games against teams that are goaltender and/or defensively challenged. I’d bite if I were you.

One of my favorites from last year is finally making good on his promise and raw skills. Tobias Enstrom has been putting up number one defenseman numbers recently. I was not surprised that he struggled this season as the Thrashers’ defense got much deeper, not necessarily better, though. Enstrom had trouble finding consistent ice time, but with the departure of Schneider to Montreal he has been getting more ice time and is doing more with it. I can say with certainty that he is out performing your third or fourth defensemen, if he’s available go get him.

This will be my last advice column of the fantasy season, check back next week as we divvy up the 2008-2009 fantasy awards. Good luck the rest of the way. As always, if you have any comments or questions please feel free to post them. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: Filling Holes

For those of you still alive in fantasy hockey, I hope I can help keep you alive. For those of you that may have ducked out in the first round, there’s always baseball and football is only five months away. Remember, the goal in fantasy hockey playoffs is to get the most games played during the week. Always be very aware of any injuries or illnesses. The best source of information will be a local paper. Become acquainted with your players’ local newspaper, they will have the most accurate information first.

For those of you considering streaming, be careful. In a league this week, I watched a guy try to stream, and ended up losing because the players he dropped were good, his opponent jumped all over them and, by the end of the weekend, the players he dropped were then beating up on him. Listen, if you are going to stream, use common sense. Don’t drop 60 point guys who have carried you all season. There is a difference between games played by a borderline fourth liner and a bona fide scoring winger. Don’t make the same mistake. I have seen Phil Kessel, Kimmo Timonen, and Jason Blake dropped in another league. These guys shouldn’t be dropped in the middle of the playoffs. Your garbage may be your opponent’s treasure.

Here are some guys that may be worth picking up, as long as you aren't dropping Alex Ovechkin to do it.

Rod Brind’Amour is about as hot as players come. In his past ten games, RBA has five goals and eight assists. He has also added six PIM and been a very solid plus seven. Carolina is playing very good hockey right now and RBA has profited from their solid play. I know center is deep, but his play has been good enough to land him in the top 50 for the last month and the fifth best player over the last week. A month ago RBA shouldn’t have been owned, today he could be enough to win you a championship. Don’t let your opponent jump all over him.

I mentioned Claude Giroux a few weeks ago and he has continued to be solid but not great. He has been a borderline fantasy player since then, but he has recently put together a three game point streak. You may ask yourself, what is so great about three games? Nothing really, what is so great, though, is that he is hot, getting more ice time and power play time, and the Flyers are tied for the most games left to play in the NHL. This could pay dividends for you, as it will mean Giroux will hit the ice more often than many other players. I wouldn’t drop anyone special, but if you have room on the wing, grab Giroux.

In late January, Steve Ott was really clicking and on fire. He cooled off significantly and dropped a bunch of woeful performances. However, he seems to be scoring a little more again, but, more importantly, his is still racking up PIM. He now has 126 on the year, including 18, in his last five games. He has also added three goals and an assist in that same span. Ott isn’t amazing, but every week he will do something in each category. Dallas might be out of it, but Ott is still fighting. Grab him for PIM help.

If you feel like playing some goaltender roulette, bet on Jonas Hiller. I know he is not the every game starter in Anaheim, but he could be worth a spot start in the right match up. Over his past three games, Hiller has posted a 94% save percentage, a 1.63 GAA and two wins. It isn’t hard to figure out who starting goalies will be as long as you pay attention to the local papers. It is a slight crapshoot, but Hiller could provide a solid night of goaltending.

Speaking of goaltenders, Ryan Miller may finally start this week. I would want to see a game to evaluate him first, but, if signs are good, get him in there...Two star players returned to action this week without making much of a splash. Both Marion Gaborik and Nathan Horton returned to action and were most likely available in your league. Take a look and make sure they aren’t still available...Lastly, you have to see Tuukka Rusk throw a tantrum after a recent loss. As hilarious as it may be, I would be a little nervous having such a head case in goal. He could be the next Steve Mason or bad version of Ron Hextall.

As always feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: March Madness

Well it’s that time of year again. It’s for all the marbles now. Teams are being eliminated every weekend as we move closer to a champion. No I am not talking about NCAA March Madness, but fantasy hockey playoffs. For most fantasy hockey managers the playoffs began this week. I don’t care if you made it as the last seed or the first; this is the moment of truth. Paying a little extra attention can mean the difference between tweaking your fantasy baseball roster or a playing for a championship.

Before getting to some players who may be able to help you advance, here are some tips to think about that are specifically useful during head to head playoffs. Your opponent will surely post a message filled with four letter expletives, but streaming is usually a successful tactic where poor performance doesn’t really hurt. Streaming was essentially made for hockey. I recommend rules against it in all leagues, but if it isn’t illegal and you have some expendable players, use it. The team that plays the most games usually wins. By streaming you get the most games. If you use it, don’t say I didn’t warn you. One of my leagues even kicked a person out for streaming.

For those of you with bye weeks, this is not the time to forget about your team. You should still be scouring box scores and making sure you are paying attention. Too many times I have seen someone not pay attention and, when its too late, realize one of his guys is day-to-day. Day-to-day in fantasy playoffs is killer. As I said above, you need as many games played as possible, don’t waste a roster spot on an iffy day-to-day player.

I have just a couple last tactics for you to consider. Don’t carry a defenseman that isn’t producing. Chances are you can find a forward out producing most of your defensemen. If you play the scheduling game well enough you can take advantage of this. Lastly, take a chance on a Carcillo type player when you roster isn’t full. If you hit the jackpot, one big PIM night will almost guarantee you that category in a given week.

Antoine Vermette’s move to the Columbus Blue Jackets has lit a fire in him and he is really producing. In his five games with the Jackets, he has three goals and three assists in five games including two power play points. He has also been a plus two since the move, which would have been higher if the Jackets didn’t run into the scorching Red Wings on Sunday. Vermette can definitely add some value to a playoff team and should be added in exchange for anything expendable.

One of my favorite up and coming NHL stars is playing well again. David Booth just barely misses the cut as a fantasy regular, but his recent hot streak can’t be ignored. In his last five games he has five goals and four assists in five games. He hasn’t found any consistency yet, but when he is hot, he is really hot. He was hot in late December and early January and during that stretch he was very valuable. He looks to be heating up again and would be very valuable if he stays hot. Don’t forget, Florida is depending on him with Horton injured, so he will continue to get plenty of ice time.

Much like Booth, Kyle Okposo has shown flashes of a budding star, but he hasn’t been able to produce consistently. The super sophomore has found himself on another hot streak with points in six straight games including four goals. Of great significance, in two of those games he combined for 15 shots. Naturally, many of the younger players are becoming accustomed to the NHL and are producing more. Ride Okposo’s hot streak while it lasts.

Time for a few quick notes. I still can’t figure out why Jason Blake is available in 30% of leagues. He is the 50th ranked player in fantasy hockey over the last month. Even in shallow leagues he is ownable...Back to the Ryan Miller watch. He is skating again, but I still doubt he gets back in time to be fantasy relevant. However, he is worth keeping an eye on...I mentioned Alex Burrows last week and he continues to produce. He has produced eight consecutive games with either at least one point or two penalty minutes. Go get him.

As always, feel free to post any comments or questions you may have. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook

Before I jump into fantasy I want to talk about this week’s hot topic in the NHL, fighting. When I say hot, I mean scorching. Even Mike and Mike talked about hockey this week, and catching hockey coverage on ESPN is like seeing a bad car accident. It was horrible to experience, but you can’t look away because it is so rare to witness. I digress; ESPN’s pathetic treatment of hockey is for another article another time.

The conversation began with Tampa Lightning GM, Brian Lawton, stating fighting in hockey is becoming “archaic”. I couldn’t disagree more, but Lawton’s use of the word archaic brings to mind a similar thought, his job should be extinct. Again, I digress. I agree with Toronto Maple Leafs GM, Brian Burke, that fighting isn’t an issue within the game, but is simply discussed as an issue by those outside the game.

Fighting is an integral part of the game; most detractors forget the fact that it is a form of self-policing amongst the players. I couldn’t imagine the type of cheap shots against the superstars if there was no fighting. We wouldn’t ever be able to watch superstars because eliminating a team’s top player would be well worth the two-minute penalty. Sure, some fights are staged or unnecessary, but more often than not, fights are a result of a cheap shot or tempers generally raging.

I also do not understand the argument that fans today aren’t interested in or are turned off by caged violence. Really? I guess that is why MMA is falling on its face, oh wait... I am sorry to break it to you, but we aren’t that different from the Romans who enjoyed watching the Gladiators. Sure, we may order lattes and have hairdressers, but the same carnal desire for structured violence remains.

The only argument I am willing to even consider is that of safety, but I am still not buying it. I agree it is tragic when someone seriously gets injured, but they knew and accepted the risks before stepping on the ice. They are accepting the same risks as getting hit by a slap shot in the face, getting checked from behind, or blind sided by a truck named Brian Campbell. If you ask me, throwing at a defenseless batter is much more archaic than two hockey players agreeing to fight each other with the ability to defend themselves. There is a difference between a NHL fight and other forms of violence in sports. NHL fighting is legitimate and serves a purpose, the other acts are not. Feel free to jump in with your own opinion.

Speaking of fighting, one guy I am keeping an eye on is Dan Carcillo. Carcillo has never thought twice about dropping the gloves and has rewarded fantasy owners with plenty of PIM. Despite all of the PIM, Carcillo is not widely owned because his offensive statistics simply do not justify owning him unless you really need PIM help. However, Carcillo is now playing for a Flyer’s team whose strength is scoring goals. I don’t expect a huge jump in offensive production, but there may be enough of an increase to make him worthwhile. Keep an eye on him, or add him if you need PIM help.

If you are looking for help on the wing, look to the Carolina Hurricanes. Since joining Carolina, Erik Cole has been on fire. Cole has points in three consecutive games including a four point effort on Saturday against the helpless Lightning. He has been reunited on a line with Eric Staal and there is instant chemistry. Add in Cole’s dual win eligibility and Cole should be owned in every league right now. Cole isn’t the only Hurricane winger producing, though. Tuomo Ruutu has six points since Cole joined the Hurricanes and has joined Cole and Staal on the top unit. Ruutu should also be added while the Canes ride this hot streak.

Don’t look now, but Alex Burrows may be blossoming into a viable fantasy option in Vancouver. Burrows has six goals and five assists in his past 10 games, but more importantly he has 25 PIM in that same span. He is no Carcillo when it comes to PIM, but he is one of three players with at least 35 points and 100 PIM. If he can continue this hot streak, Burrows may provide a lift in PIM without killing you in the scoring department. Depending on how badly you need PIM, I would advise grabbing Burrows over Carcillo.

Since surviving the trade deadline, Kari Lehtonen has lead the Atlanta thrashers to three straight victories while stopping 97.8% of the shots against and compiling two shutouts and a 0.67 GAA. Yeah, I know, he plays for Atlanta and has shown glimpses like this before, but he really does look unbelievable. If you are like me and are struggling to find a replacement for Ryan Miller, Lehtonen may be it. He is no Martin Brodeur, but I like him more than more popularly owned goalies like Jon Quick and Brian Elliot. Give Lehtonen and try and see what you can get from him.

Speaking of Ryan Miller, I am not expecting him back anytime soon and you shouldn’t either. If I needed my IR spot, I would be okay with dropping Miller...For the Petr Sykora owners out there, the Penguins report that Sykora participated in the optional skate Wednesday morning and should play against Columbus. Sykora is available in about 30% of the leagues, with how hot the Pens are, I would want Sykora on my team...No you are not reading an old headline, Daniel Briere has injured his groin, again. It doesn’t look to be very serious, but on going groin problems should always be a concern. Tread carefully.

As always feel free to post any comments or questions, I would love to hear what you think about the NHL and fighting. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: Trading Places

Before I begin, I want to wish my younger brother a speedy recovery. He broke his collarbone and dislocated his A/C joint when he slammed into the boards while diving for a puck in our game last night. His play opened up a break away for me and lead to a huge goal. I wish some NHLers would give the kind of effort he does in an adult league. Get well soon Greg.

Well the trade deadline has come and gone and Jay Bouwmeester is still a Panther, Chris Pronger is still a Duck and the Rangers stepped up and snagged Derek Morris. Overall, it was a fairly disappointing trade deadline. The big moves involved Morris and Nik Antropov going to the Rangers and Olli Jokinen and Jordan Leopold to Calgary. But the most surprising parts of the day were certain teams not doing anything.

The big winners today were obviously Calgary and New York. Calgary cemented themselves as by far the third best team in the west and have given themselves a chance to compete with Detroit and San Jose. The Rangers solidified their blue line with Morris and gave themselves more size and offense up front with Antropov. The Penguins and Sabres also improved, slightly. The Pens added a little more grit, offense, and depth, but didn’t significantly improve their team. The Sabres added some goaltending and help at the pivot. They gave themselves a chance at making the playoffs, but even that is far from a sure thing.

The Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals are by far the biggest losers today. The Canadiens saw three teams similar to them in the standings and ability get better, while they only watched. The Capitals also didn’t improve on a weak defense and poor goaltending situation. The Caps can score with the best of them, but every year we see defense wins championships and the Caps did nothing to improve their glaring weaknesses. The Columbus Blue Jackets also didn’t do much to help their situation. They desperately need help at center, have solid depth at wing, and they addressed their needs by bringing in another winger. Confusing, at best. Tampa Bay is completely inept at this point and deserve their own article, keep an eye out for it in the coming weeks.

Let’s jump to the fantasy winners and losers. The biggest winner has to be Jokinen. He jumps from an abysmal offense in Phoenix to the fourth highest scoring offense in the league. How much his value improves depends on who plays on his wing. He will either have Cammalleri or Iginla on his wing, but either is an improvement over what he was playing with in Phoenix. Jokinen is most likely owned in all leagues, but he is worth trading for. Jokkinen on Calgary instantly becomes a number one center. Leopold gets a slight upgrade for moving out of Colorado, but he probably won’t enter the fantasy radar.

After Jokinen, the fantasy fallout is fairly minor, but Bill Guerin would have to be the next biggest winner. He moves from the worst offense in the NHL to the ninth best. I have a feeling he will find himself on the wing with Malkin and Sykora and will plop himself in front of the net on the top power play unit. He may also be available in your league. Guerin should provide more offense and continue to provide decent PIM. If he is available, he is a definite pick up.

Nik Antropov gets a slight upgrade because he is playing with better overall talent, but his numbers shouldn’t really change. The main improvement may be in the area of plus/minus. With 20 games left on the slate, I expect Antropov to end with about eight goals and nine assists over that span. He will give you slightly more value, but don’t break the bank trying to get him. As for the other new Ranger, Derek Morris is a very good defenseman, but he never was on your fantasy radar and shouldn’t enter it now either.

For those of you who need wing help, keep an eye on the Patrick O’Sullivan, Justin Williams, and Erik Cole swap. No team is a huge upgrade over the other, but a change in scenery may help each player. If you asked me to pick one, I would choose O’Sullivan. The Kings are probably the worst team involved and Edmonton is the best, so his new team may provide the best opportunity. Neither of the three will save your season, but one may get hot with his new team and help you down the stretch.

I wanted to wait until the deadline passed before I dissected the Ryan Whitney trade, and my initial suspicions were right. He is worthless. Ok, he’s not that bad, but his value actually takes a hit from when he was in Pittsburgh. He will play on the second power play unit with less talent as compared to the Penguins top unit. Better times may be ahead for Mr. Whitney, but I doubt those come this year. Downgrade him, but he is still ownable, just don't expect number two defenseman type numbers.

If you need goalie help, I would look to Mikael Tellqvist rather than Pascal Leclaire. Buffalo is a better team than Ottawa and Tellqvist is probably the better goalie too...In case you fell asleep this week, Chris Kunitz has three goals and two assists since joining the Pens. It will be interesting to see the line combos with Sid and Guerin in the lineup, but I expect the strong numbers to continue...In a throwback to 1992, Mark Recchi has put together a respectable stat line while playing for a joke of an organization in Tampa. I am interested to see what he does playing for a real live NHL team. Keep an eye on the Recchin Ball.

Well, it was an exciting, though disappointing, deadline day. Feel free to ask any questions or leave any comments you may have. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: Pack Your Bags

It is that time of year again. The trade deadline is only a week away and should once again be quite eventful. The NHL trade deadline is by far my favorite of all four major sports. It always has the most moves and generally involves some pretty big names. The blockbuster last year was Marian Hossa joining the Penguins. This year could be even bigger with three or four game-breakers rumored to be on the move. For the most reliable and up to date rumors, keep an eye on www.thefourthperiod.com and www.tsn.ca.

As we have seen with Mathieu Schneider, all some players need is a change of scenery and they all of a sudden become fantasy relevant. Schneider is playing big time minutes on a potent offense in Montreal and is also sharing pointman duties with Andrei Markov on the top power play unit. Schneider has produced since joining Montreal and should be owned in most leagues. I recently dropped my fourth defenseman and took a chance on Schneider.

We’ll kick things off with one of the most rumored players, Jay Bouwmeester. There are a bevy of places where Bouwmeester may find himself, most of which should improve his statistics. Boston, Dallas, Montreal, Ottawa, Washington, Vancouver, and Calgary are the most likely and would provide the greatest returns. Sure, Florida isn’t bad, but Bouwmeester playing for a more potent offense could be lethal. No matter where Bouwmeester goes, his value should improve. Definitely hold onto Bouwmeester regardless of where he lands. Although, I think there is a better chance that he will stay than go. Florida is in the middle of a playoff battle and could really use the playoff revenue. If Bouwmeester goes, I bet the trade involves NHL ready talent who can help the Panthers immediately.

A second stud defenseman rumored to be on the move is Chris Pronger. His suitors are similar to Bouwmeester, but the change of scenery may not be great for Pronger owners. Anaheim already has a pretty potent offense landing in the upper half of the NHL. This means there is a chance that Pronger could find himself playing for a worse offense. I don’t suspect that a trade should hurt his value, but there is a chance that he could find himself playing with worse offensive talent. Unless he finds himself playing for a substantially worse offense than Anaheim, Pronger will remain a solid defenseman and should continue to anchor your defense. I don't think it will happen, as Toronto will save cap room to make a run at the Sedin twins, but Pronger could be traded to the Leafs, which would kill a lot of his value. Toronto is a worst case scenario.

Speaking of Toronto, three interesting names come out of Toronto: Tomas Kaberle, Pavel Kubina, and Nik Antropov are all rumored to be on the move. All three could really profit from a change of scenery. When Dominic Moore is your fourth leading scorer, something is wrong. All three have been decent but their offensive numbers would surely receive a boost and their plus/minus should improve as well. It looks like the least likely to move will be Kubina, but he is also the most widely available. Kubina is available in roughly 30%-40% of fantasy leagues. If traded to a contender, that number should decrease quickly.

Ilya Kovalchuk is the most talented player available, which will also make him one of the toughest trades. However, if Kovalchuk is traded, it should be an automatic upgrade from Atlanta. Atlanta has produced solid offense this season, but this can be attributed directly to Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk would be a sure bet for 50 goals if playing with any type of offensive support. If paired with a good playmaking center, Kovalchuk could net 15-20 goals over the last 20 games of the season. Ilya could find himself in the best situation out of any player after the trade deadline.

While I don’t see the Penguins making a big move, if Jordan Staal finds himself paired with a couple of capable wingers, he should become very valuable down the stretch run. He is barely owned in fantasy leagues and would provide a cheap upgrade at center if he could find himself in a better situation. He doesn’t need to go a better hockey team, just one where he can play with scoring wingers rather than glorified fourth liners. If Staal leaves Pittsburgh, he should be the first player you take a chance on. In case you were wondering, Ryan Whitney is a severe downgrade anywhere else he plays. Whitney rides the coattails of talent around him and won’t produce on his own.

It looks like the Vincent Lecavalier rumors are dead, but Martin St. Louis could still be on the move. A change of scenery would be good for the little engine that could...Just saying, Ottawa has made it clear that nobody is off limits. I don’t see Alfredsson going anywhere, as he is Mr. Ottawa, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see other major moves occur...Keith Tkachuk, Doug Weight and Bill Guerin may be on the move, but it is doubtful that any of them have enough left in the tank to help anyone out. Here’s hoping they don’t find their way onto the 2010 U.S. Olympic team either.

There will be plenty of moves made, some may include players mentioned, many will include players I did not mention. Check here after the trade deadline for analysis of the fantasy relevant trades. Until then, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: When Good Teams Go Bad

I have made a strong effort this year to not focus on the Penguins. It is easy to fall into the local team trap and skew coverage. However, I can’t do it anymore, I need to address what has happened to my beloved team. The recent firing of head coach Michel Therrien has sparked intense debate over who is actually to blame. The coaching? The players? The GM? I place the blame squarely on the players, but most of all, their “leader”, Sidney Crosby.

Not for one moment have I thought Therrien would be the coach that led them to a third championship, but he is a top 10-15 coach in the league. He is the type of coach that can rally the troops and motivate a player to skate through a wall. The Penguins biggest handicap is not the X’s and O’s, it is the lack of discipline and heart that champions never lack. Essentially, the problem is Penguins are being lead by a crybaby.

Sure, Sid is extremely talented and works extremely hard, but at the end of the day, he is a pampered crybaby. When that person is your leader, it rubs off on the rest of your team. I have always defended Sid against detractors, but I can’t do it anymore. They are right. He is a pampered whiner. Almost every shift I watch him say something to another player or ref when he is roughed up a little. Unfortunately, Sid’s better than thou attitude has spread like a plague amongst the whole team.

Ryan Whitney is still reading his press clippings from two years ago when he actually hustled. Ryan, here is an idea, how bout you keep your feet moving, perhaps you won’t be caught flat-footed and get burned or turn the puck over. Brooks, you sure can hit and you play smart defensively, but who are you to call out coaches. Last time I checked, your last name isn’t Orr, Bourque, Coffey, or Stevens. You don’t get to dictate anything until you earn it. I don’t mean to be overly critical of just Brook and Whit. Each Penguin could and should be called out for their performance, except one.

The only player I can’t place any blame on is Malkin. I have watched just about every game this year, and he is the only player that doesn’t take nights off. He plays every game like it is his last. It actually looks like he cares when he is out there. Perhaps all the whining has been lost in translation. I think Malkin is the one actually showing true maturity. It is unfortunate the Pens’ best leader may be the one who can’t speak English.

I have liked most of Shero’s decisions so I’m not ready to throw him under the bus, but he has let the inmates run the asylum. Adding Miro Satan to a roster whose leader may be even a bigger crybaby isn’t smart. Perhaps, Shero should have had the forethought to include a veteran presence in the locker room. Shero thought Sid was ready to lead this team, but it is abundantly clear he is not. That is Shero’s fault.

I am not jumping off Sid’s bandwagon forever. I recognize his great potential and hope he becomes the truly great player everyone thought he would become. However, he needs to grow up. He needs to understand that he is alienating himself with every glance and comment to officials. The really mind boggling thing is that as roommates with Lemieux for the last three years, Mario never fixed this. But you will never get me to criticize the G.O.A.T. This is something Sid, and only Sid, can fix.

Let me leave Pens fans with this. How comfortable are you knowing that with the current roster the Penguins are paying 14 players a combined 46 million next year? That leaves roughly ten million to sign about ten more players. This franchise may have financially bootstrapped itself for years to come. I get an eerie feeling I am going to wake up and realize we have become the Tampa Bay Lightning.

I would like to cover one fantasy situation before wrapping this up. Over the weekend Martin Brodeur said he expected to return to action in about 10-14 days. As you are reading this, Brodeur is about a week away from returning. Both Clemmensen owners and Brodeur owners must take note. If you have survived without Brodeur, do you need him now? Could you get more value in a trade than the value Brodeur would be able to give you? These are all team specific questions, but the answers will dictate your next move. Clemmensen owners, I wouldn’t drop him just yet, but once Brodeur is back for sure, about two or three more weeks, he is no longer worth owning. Keep an eye on InGoalMag.com for more details concerning Brodeur.

As with any SportsJudge.com article, feel free to post a comment or question. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: Problem Child Four, Junior Plays Hockey

Sean Avery has finished his treatment program and is playing hockey again. There are still a few hurdles until Avery gets back to the NHL, but he should definitely be on your radar. If you are comfortable with your spot in the standings and have room, Avery may be worth an add right now. Don’t expect immediate results, but look for it to pay dividends in March. When Avery eventually gets back to the NHL he will be worth owning. He can singlehandedly win the PIM every week.

The fact that Avery is playing again is intriguing; whom he is playing for is even more interesting. Avery had no chance of playing again in Dallas and Dallas has no AHL affiliate, so Dallas could choose to send Avery to any team that would take him. Who took him? The Hartford Wolfpack, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers. That’s right, Avery may find himself back in New York. New York expressed an interest earlier this year and he has found a way to their affiliate. Before returning to action, Avery must clear re-entry waivers. Whichever team grabs Avery from the re-entry waivers will only have to pay half of his remaining salary. I would imagine if nobody claims Avery, the Rangers definitely will. Avery would be a great fit in New York and would be optimal for Avery owners.

It seems as though one of the hottest goalie battles this year has finally ended. Pekka Rinne is now the starting goalie in Nashville and Dan Ellis is his backup. In his last 11 games, Rinne is 7-3-0 with a 2.03 GAA. He also replaced Ellis twice in that span of 11 games. Rinne has found consistency in net and is getting consistent starts. Nashville isn’t a great team but their biggest problem is offense not defense. Rinne is now a must add and should be started as a great third goalie and a solid second goalie.

In other goaltending news, Antero Nittymaki is making things happen for the Flyers. Maki should be considered the number one in Philly right now, but it is still a heated battle. Since the start of January, Maki has outperformed Biron and has earned the starting spot. A sage once said, “a goalie is only as good as the team around him.” For the most part, this is a correct statement. Philly is playing well, Maki is playing well, and things should only get better when Daniel Briere returns from injury.

Let’s move from goaltending battles to the hottest team in the NHL, the Dallas Stars. There are three names that especially standout and may/should be available in your league: Steve Ott, Jere Lehtinen, and Matt Niskanen. Steve Ott is the most likely to retain this kind of production, as he is a blossoming forward with a solid pedigree. It is also not surprising that he is the hottest of the three because of his ability. Niskanen may not keep up his current production, but he is certainly getting every opportunity to do so. He currently is getting top unit power play time and is playing over 20 minutes per game. Lehtinen probably won’t keep up this pace, but you might as well ride out the hot streak. Lehtinen is a smart veteran, but his best days are far behind him and those days weren’t amazing. For now all three should be owned, at least during the hot streak.

I dropped two players that added some controversy in one of my leagues, but I believe the joke is on my opponents. I dropped Shea Weber and Patrick Sharp. There is a better argument that I should have held onto Weber, but he has been very disappointing since his hot start. Weber started the season with 22 points in two months, but since December 1st, he has only ten points including a pointless streak since January 18th. He also is a minus seven in that same span. Nobody would roster a defenseman with those numbers, yet Weber remains owned based purely on his hot start. It’s time to cut bait. Patrick Sharp is similar, but has been even worse. Sharp had 24 points in the first two months, but since December 1st, he only has 15 points. As a forward, that is clearly too little production. Fantasy owners must realize that fantasy sports are a 'what have you done for me lately', and 'what can you do for me tomorrow' kind of game. Don’t let past performance drag your team down today.

I mentioned Jason Blake last week and he has continued his strong play. He should be on rosters in every league...Don’t worry too much about Steve Mason’s IR stint. He has been diagnosed with mono, but played with it for a month. Columbus expects him to play on Friday, hopefully this explains his lackluster stats over the past few week...I am currently watching the Sharks-Pens game and Evgeni Malkin is by far the best player on the ice. It is time for the best in the NHL conversation to switch from Crosby/Ovechkin to Malkin/Ovechkin.

As always, please feel free to leave comments or questions. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: The Gonch Man Cometh

I hope everyone was able to read Mike Colligan’s Dollars and Sense yesterday afternoon. He touched on a “loophole” in the NHL’s current CBA. The biggest change in this CBA, and cause of the lockout, is the inclusion of a salary cap. However, what GM’s are finding out, is that they can tinker with dollar amounts to help take advantage of the cap. If this isn’t addressed, it can lead to major problems down the line causing the NHL to fall even further behind the other major sports.

The biggest issue will be the richest teams in the biggest markets being able to manipulate the salary cap. It will be a lot easier for the Rangers or Red Wings to cough up a chunk of a few million dollars to buy out the final years on a long-term contract. Bad planning can also cause teams to tank, like we see with the Islanders now. Multiple teams attempting to try out longer-term contracts and failing will spell trouble for the entire league. Kudos to the creative GM’s for figuring this out, but the NHL needs to get it under wraps sooner rather than later.

The Sergei Gonchar watch can finally begin. The Penguins have released a three-week timetable for him to return to action. This is huge. Not only would you have Gonch for the playoffs but you could also have him for the stretch run to make the playoffs. Check for him on your waivers, he needs to be added immediately. As far as his ability, I am betting he returns close to his previous form by the start of fantasy playoffs. However, there is a chance he comes back step behind. Remember, he had major shoulder surgery. This is like shoulder surgery on a 33 year-old pitcher, there is a strong likelihood he won’t be the same.

I mentioned Dustin Brown last week as a player you should probably add. At this point he has become a player you must add. In his last 10 games, he has six goals and four assists along with 4 PIM and is a plus six. The plus six definitely won’t continue, but his strong production should remain right around a point per game pace and he should come close to one penalty minute per game. Brown seems to be growing as a player with every new season, and this year is no exception. With a lack of depth at wing, Brown should definitely be owned in almost all situations.

I hate to recommend a center to you because there is so much depth, but Andy McDonald should be back pretty soon. He suffered a fractured ankle and, other than getting back in shape, there should be no lasting ill effects. Before the injury, Andy Mac was producing above a point per game and is one of the strongest power play centers in the game. He was most likely kept on someone’s IR, but double check to make sure. Don’t be afraid to throw out a below market value offer in hopes of catching a “sleeping” owner.

I never thought I would suggest this as he is one of my most hated players, but I can’t argue with production. Jason Blake has found his scoring touch and should be picked up. Blake is on a five game point streak and has seven goals and seven assists in his past eight games. While Toronto is a pretty bad team, Blake has been able to hover around an even +/- over the course of the season. Ride the hot streak while it lasts, but don’t be afraid to part ways once he cools down.

Don’t look now but sophomore phenom Kyle Okposo is starting to heat up a little. If he continues this play, you will want to grab him...After being pretty unreliable through December, Jose Theodore has started to play well consistently. If you need a little goalie help, Jose may be your answer...Cal Clutterbuck is exceptional for a few reasons. His name is the best in hockey right now, he fights a lot, and he wears a visor. The visor is a big no-no for fighters and violates even the most obvious un-written rules of hockey, but he is still fighting nonetheless.

As always, please feel free to leave comments or questions. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: Kovalev Shines

I want to begin by congratulating the Puck Monkeys. On Monday night, my adult league team won the Blade Runners Adult League Ice Hockey Championship. After being shut down and frustrated by the trap in game one, we came back and gave the Thrashers a bit of their own medicine. We won games two and three by scoring dirty goals and trapping them into submission, winning game three 3-1. A special shout-out goes to Ralph, our goalie, for standing on his head at times. This was a championship only the New Jersey Devils could be proud of.

While on the subject of adult hockey, I hope you got to watch the All-Star Game on Sunday evening. While the game showcased some spectacular offense, this was nothing more than an adult league game with superstar talent. I would also like to thank Alexei Kovalev for calling me out by winning MVP after I went on at length about how he didn’t deserve to be there. If anyone’s favorite team or player needs a change of fortune, let me know, I’ll criticize them and that should solve all the problems. Enough about adult hockey, let’s discuss fantasy.

I feel as though I need to discuss Rick Nash. No, he won’t be available on your waiver wire, he isn’t really a buy low candidate, but, more importantly, he isn’t a sell candidate. For weeks I was talking a friend off the Nash trade ledge, telling him to come back inside and we’ll talk about it. Calmer heads prevailed and Nash rewarded him with a hat trick last night. Look, Nash doesn’t carry the name value of a player like Kovalchuk, but he is outperforming Kovalchuk big time. Sure, Nash has three less points, but he is also a plus 12 compared to Kovalchuk’s minus ten. I keep seeing Nash traded for flashes in the pan like Scott Hartnell, Patrick Sharp and Michael Cammalleri. Don’t do it, Nash is the type of consistent, across the board player that you need to win a championship.

Another player being dealt far too often and for far too little in return is Patrick Kane. Kane is a primo buy low candidate. If you can get him, do it. If you have him, hold him or make sure you are getting great value in return. I get it, he has one assist over his past 11 games, but don’t forget about his 41 points in his other 32 games. He is in a slump. Don’t compound the problem by taking less value. I would much rather have Kane than the aforementioned Kovaluchuk. In one league, Kane was just traded for Dustin Brown. Really, Dustin Brown? Don’t make the same mistake, hold him if you got him, go get him if you don’t.

Speaking of Dustin Brown, while he certainly doesn’t have even close to as much value as Kane, he is worth owning. Brown is currently available in about 30-40% of leagues, but he shouldn’t be. Brown has seven points in his past seven games, he can help out with PIM and he takes plenty of shots, including an 11-shot game. Shots are like touches in football. In football, if you don’t touch the ball you can’t get yards or score. In hockey, it is practically impossible to score without shooting the puck. Brown is still pretty young, but has a good hockey pedigree. He should be pretty serviceable for the rest of the season. I would add him rather than taking a wait and see approach.

Erik Cole hasn’t met preseason expectations, but he currently has three things going for him. Both he and Edmonton have been playing pretty good hockey recently, he can help out in PIM, and he is eligible at both left and right wing. The importance of the final characteristic can’t be overstated. Having a player you can plug in at either wing is extremely valuable. It is enough to turn an average player into an above average player for fantasy purposes. His current stats are slightly inflated due to a recent hat trick, but there are plenty of worse options out there. Keep an eye on Cole, or if you need help at wing, grab him.

If you need help with defensemen, look no further than Cory Murphy. Murphy is a power play specialist, but he is also getting very solid ice-time at even strength. Since being claimed off of waivers by Tampa Bay, Murphy has four points in three games. While Tampa Bay isn’t a good hockey team, it is more talented offensively than Florida and should provide more opportunities for Murphy. Murphy won’t help you with PIM or +/-, but he should produce enough offense to be a good fourth defenseman.

I mentioned Claude Giroux as a preseason sleeper. That didn’t work out very well, but he has been called up and has given Philadelphia a point in each of his last two games. Wait and see on Giroux, but make sure he is at least on your radar...Keep an eye on Bobby Ryan’s ice-time when Teemu Selanne returns in a week or two. Ryan has performed very well in Selanne’s role, but what will happen with Teemu back in the lineup? The answer will determine if Ryan should still be owned...Clemmensen owners, keep an eye on Martin Brodeur. He has been determined to return before the end of the season and it looks like he will. Nothing would kill you more than to see Brodeur steal fantasy playoff starts from Clemmensen.

As always, please feel free to leave comments or questions. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: Back to the Future

We are quickly approaching the most pivotal time of the NHL fantasy season, the stretch run. Teams are in one of three categories, comfortably ahead and preparing for the playoffs, fighting for/keeping a playoff spot, or all but mathematically eliminated. If you fall into the last category, for the sake of your league, don’t give up and don’t trade players to help other teams. If you are comfortably ahead, you need to pace yourself and think about the players who can help you the most during the playoffs. Don’t be fooled by the one-week wonder. Those of you in the middle category need to be watching the waiver wire like a hawk and jumping on anyone with the hot hand. In desperate situations, stream players. It may anger some owners, but at least your trying.

I mentioned him last week and this week I am upgrading him. Unless you are sound between the pipes go pick up Brian Elliott. Elliott has been given the opportunity to run away with the starting gig in Ottawa and he has done just that. In his first five games, he is sporting a 2.18 GAA and a 92.4% save percentage, he also has accumulated three wins and is facing just under 30 shots a game. The only stat he hasn’t helped out in is shutouts. The job is his and he has been pretty solid. He is a very good #3 goaltender, and a low end #2. Chances are he is better than your #3 goaltender, and if that is the case, go get him. Remember, he is a rookie, so expect a couple rough patches here or there.

Danny Briere is going to miss even more time with his tricky groin injury. The timetable is two more weeks, but that is if everything checks out ok in his “exploratory surgery” on Thursday. Look, first it was a torn abdominal muscle, then it was a groin injury, now it has become a lingering groin injury, all of these are related. I just don’t see him contributing for closer to a month, rather than two weeks. If you are fighting for the playoffs, and are on the outside looking in, trade Briere for immediate help. He does you no good in the playoffs if you're not there. If you are comfortably in the playoffs, hold onto him, a healthy Briere for the playoffs could spell trouble for your opponents.

No need to check your calendars, this isn’t the 90’s, but Sergei Fedorov’s play has improved recently. He is no longer feeling any ill-effects from an ankle injury from last season and his play is showing it. Washington has shown they can score, a lot. While teams focus on trying to shut down the Semin-Ovechkin unit, Fedorov’s line is free to do some damage. What makes Fedorov so interesting is he is getting some major minutes on the point during the power play. It is unlikely he will gain D eligibility, but if he does, he is a must add. For now, keep an eye on him and see if he continues to play well.

If Fedorov wasn’t enough to get you thinking about 90’s, the return of Brendan Shanahan and Claude Lemieux will. Lemieux is completely worthless in fantasy, but there is definitely value in Shanahan. Shanahan flat out knows how to score goals and New Jersey seems to have figured out how to produce offense as well. This was just about the perfect scenario for Shanahan. He will be placed on a scoring unit and join the top power play unit as well. He scored a goal in his first game, but more importantly, he had six shots on goal. Don’t drop anyone amazing for Shanny, but he is definitely worth adding.

A couple of quick notes...Ales Hemsky returned from his concussion this past weekend and has four goals and two assists in two games. Hemsky doesn’t carry much name value, but his play certainly does. You may be able to get him fairly cheap for the value he’ll give you in return...Pavel Datsyuk left the game early in Phoenix due to a hip pointer, but it is nothing serious. With the all-star break upon us, he should be ready to go after the break. Don’t let someone talk you into a trade. I recently told a buddy, unless I was getting primo talent, I would never trade Datsyuk.

Enjoy the all-star festivities this weekend. The skills competition is a great way to see how talented the NHL stars really are. As always, please feel free to leave comments or questions, and until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: Bargain Shopping

Welcome back to another exciting edition of The Puck Stops Here. The cream is starting to rise to the top, players are carving out roles and we finally have a bigger sample size to examine. Let me stress, it is still early and don’t panic. However, we play fantasy sports because its fun and part of that fun is making a trade. I will give you a few players to target/hold onto and a few players to avoid/trade away.

Keep Them if You Got Them, Go Get Them if You Don’t

Anze Kopitar, C, L.A. Kings: Kopitar is off to a bit of a slow start. Combine that with the preseason pessimism and people may be ready to move Kopitar. The preseason skepticism had nothing to do with his talent and ability to produce; it was purely about how bad the Kings are. It is true the Kings are pretty bad, not Detroit Lions bad, but slightly above embarrassing. However, they have a lot of young talent that will age nicely like a fine wine. Give them time to work together and the offense and power play will start clicking. In his first two seasons, Kopitar has increased both his goal production and total points. He is trending up, get on board while you can. Kopitar will help you across the board with your offensive statistics, but his +/- and PIM will be lacking.

Mikka Kiprusoff, G, Calgary Flames: I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. I had serious concerns with Kipper’s peripheral statistics and he has started the season with major struggles. However, he is a perfect buy low candidate, he has played so bad an owner can’t be happy right now. He won’t give you top 5 goalie numbers and will struggle to crack the top 10, but he plays on a playoff caliber team which will be a huge boost to your win total. Do not give up too much to get him, but he could be a very serviceable number two goalie.
Dion Phaneuf, D, Calgary Flames: Like his teammate, Kiprusoff, Phaneuf is off to a slightly slow start. Most owners won’t be willing to get rid of him just yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t offer a trade that gives your D a slight boost. I love Andrea Markov, but I would have no problem selling high on Markov to get Phaneuf in return. It isn’t that Phaneuf isn’t helping owners, he actually is playing OK, but if you are ever going to have a chance to get the best fantasy defenseman, the time is now. No other defenseman will combine his offensive talent with PIM like Phaneuf.

Marty Turco, G, Dallas Stars: Turco is by far the biggest disappointment during this young season. This is a mirage. Go out and get Turco and by no means should you trade him away. He is at his lowest value in years. Goalies don’t all of a sudden become this bad. He is fighting the puck right now, but it won’t continue. This may not turn around immediately but it will turn around. Go ask former C.C. Sabathia owners how they felt watching him be the best pitcher in baseball after May. Turco is the Sabathia of the 08-09 NHL season. If you can combine Turco with another upper-echelon goalie, then you should be set all season.

Minnesota and Edmonton Players: This is more of a notice to hold onto your various Oilers and Wild players than to go out and get them. Take a look at the standings when making your decisions. Oilers and Wild have only played 4 games, the least in the league. While 4 games played does not sound like a big difference than 5 games, it is a huge difference. It is very difficult to get into rhythm with just 4 games in two weeks. There is a reason you are seeing a lot more Rangers (9 games played) picked up and players from the Oilers and Wild being dropped. There just isn’t enough of a sample size or a consistent game schedule to get a good read on these teams. I have seen Ales Hemsky inexplicably dropped and I quickly capitalized. The owner saw 4 assists and wasn’t impressed even though that is an average of a point per game. Wait on most of the Minnesota and Edmonton players until we see more.

Sell, Sell, Sell

Aaron Voros, LW, New York Rangers: Voros is filling the vacancy left by Sean Avery’s departure to the Dallas Stars, however he is no Sean Avery. He doesn’t have the menace abilities or the hockey skills to do what Avery does. Many are drawing comparisons between the two, but Voros will not provide as many PIM nor will he put up close to 50 points. I expect about 120 PIM and around 35 or 40 points. This stat line is only borderline useful. Sell an owner on his hot start and that he will be sure to rack up PIM. However, if all you need is PIM and you have an excellent offensive foundation, Voros is worth holding onto. Just don’t trade for him; he will never be more expensive. (Also, see above, he has played 9 games, 2 more than any other team.)

Anti Miettinen, RW, Minnesota Wild: I know, I know, I just told you to hold onto your Wild and Oilers. Miettinen is the exception. Are you telling me that a player without much of a pedigree and in three full season has never reached 35 points can all of a sudden become a point-per-game player? Miettinen is off to scorching start and this may be a result of increased ice time because of Gaborik’s injuries. The Wild also aren’t known for the offense. I have no doubt Miettinen will improve on his career high of 34 points, but I really can’t see him putting up more than 60. Sell while you can and pick up a legitimate goal scorer.

Andy McDonald, C, St. Louis Blues: I have always been a big Andy Mac fan but I jus can’t see him keeping up his current pace. Right now he is on pace to put up 114 points. St. Louis is off to a hot start at 4-1. Neither of these will continue. St. Louis is an improving team but will be fortunate to make the playoffs. Andy McDonald will be dependable, but he isn’t a point-per-game kind of guy. Expect something a lot closer to 65-70 points, mostly assists. Also, St. Louis is going to give up a lot of goals, I expect a +/- around -10, which can hurt pretty bad. Don’t go dropping Andy, but I wouldn’t be targeting him in any trades and would try to sell high on the fast start.

Ales Kotalik, RW, Buffalo Sabres: Kotalik is another player off to a hot start without much a track record to back it up. He has topped 60 points only once in five full NHL seasons and he did it 3 years ago. He will probably get you about 20-25 goals and the same amount of assists. He has always been known to be streaky and this is one of those streaks. Try to sell him on the basis that he is getting huge power play minutes and will get plenty of ice time with Vanek. If you can’t sell him, ride out this hot streak but don’t be afraid to drop him when he cools off.

As with any SportsJudge.com article, feel free to post a comment or question. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: Hot Starts

Welcome back to another exciting edition of The Puck Stops Here. We are about a week into the season and still haven’t seen enough to really make educated decisions on specific players. However, speculation is always fun, just don’t bet your season on it. Remember, as I advised you last week, don’t be so trigger happy that you make a poor decision to pick up a one-week wonder. Too many great teams have been ruined because of anxious owners.

Devin Setoguchi, RW, San Jose: Setoguchi is everything I love in a diamond in the rough free agent. He is young, has lots of speed, great hands, has a great pedigree and plays with a top five superstar. Setoguchi is getting about 18 minutes of ice time per game, but what is so important about those 18 minutes is he is playing with Thornton and Marleau. It would almost be impossible for him no to rack up points. San Jose is a great team with solid defense and great goaltending; this means he should also have a pretty good +/-. He won’t contribute much in PIM, but he will surely help in all the offensive categories. Setoguchi is actually my favorite of all the players mentioned in this post and I am kicking myself for not pulling the trigger on him in one of my leagues.

Antero Nittymaki, G, Philadelphia: Nittymaki has been teasing fantasy owners for a few years now and I am getting the feeling this is finally the year he steps up. It hasn’t been his talent holding him back; it has been his injury history. He replaced Biron on Saturday and shut out the Rangers giving Philly a fighting chance. He followed that up with a solid performance against the Penguins Tuesday night. The overtime goal was weak, but he played well the rest of the night stopping 25 shots. He also was the starting goalie for the Flyers AHL affiliate when they beat the pro team during the preseason. He is definitely worth adding in deep leagues and could pay big dividends if he can grab the starting job.

Bryan Little, C, Atlanta: The big question for Atlanta this year is who will center Jason Williams and Ilya Kovalchuk and it looks like they may have found the answer. Little was the 12th pick in 2006 and looks like he may fulfill his draft position promise. Little was mildly productive as a rookie last year and in three games this season he has 3 goals and 2 assists and is a +3. As long as he plays with Ilya, he has fantasy relevance. He is also getting those all important power play minutes with the top line. Don’t expect a point-per-game all season but 50-60 points and a +/- in the positives are reasonable expectations.

Brandon Dubinsky, C, New York Rangers: Chances are Dubinsky has been snatched up in your league, but take a look and make sure. If he is available get him, literally stop reading, get him, and come back (Grab Setoguchi while you are it, see above). He is not the next Gretzky or Lemieux, but he has a lot of talent and plays with a very good team. He should provide good production across the board and will be valuable all season. Hope for a Getzlaf-esque breakout, but be happy with slightly less. He has less offensive upside than Setoguchi, but could provide better production across the board.

Daniel Girardi, D, New York Rangers: Girardi is another young Ranger off to a very hot start. I get the feeling that it is more of a result of the Ranger’s second line being so hot right, but when you see a defenseman with 5 points in 6 games, he is worth a flier. Chances are your 4th defenseman is a riskier player, so take that risk on someone who is off to a good start. He got a boost in ice time Wednesday night jumping from his usual 18 minutes to 24 minutes. This is a sign his coaches are trusting him more. He is young, has a solid pedigree and recorded 11 power play points in his second year. So far this year, 3 of his 5 assists have come while on the power play. Take a chance on him.

Fabian Brunnstrom, LW, Dallas: I was actually disappointed with Brunnstrom until Wednesday night when he showed the world why he was a top free agent without ever playing an NHL game. Brunnstrom began his career with 3 goals, and it would have been 4 had a referee not prematurely blew the whistle. Brunnstrom won’t be a healthy scratch again. Brunnstrom is a rookie, but I view him more as a 2nd or 3rd year player because of his experiences in Europe. With his good head start, 20 goals isn’t out of the question and playing on a very good Dallas team should help him produce a pretty good +/-. If you are going to pick him up, do it soon, he will be the sexy player to add over the next couple of days.

As with any SportsJudge.com article, feel free to post a comment or question. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: And They're Off

Welcome back to another exciting edition of The Puck Stops Here. You can consider this the calm before the storm. The NHL “opened” last weekend in Europe, although it felt more like a glorified exhibition weekend. The real play begins tonight with a few games and every team will open their season by the end of the weekend. At this point there is very little to evaluate, so I will just handle a few pertinent issues.

There are two big things to do at the start of the season, scour the waiver wire daily and don’t panic. You should be looking at each box score, scouring local newspapers available on the Internet for line combinations, paying close attention to power play units, and keeping an eye out for that younger player playing with primo talent. When you look at the box scores, pay close attention to how many minutes a player gets. Naturally, you want a player who will be on the ice longer. This should all be in anticipation of finding that diamond in the rough that everyone didn’t think of or even know about during the draft. However, this search can sometimes lead to bonehead decisions.

Listen, if you spent at least a 10th rounder on a player, don’t drop him. Unless you hear about a major injury, you need to ride out slow starts until you are sure the player isn’t worthwhile. This doesn’t mean you hold onto your last round flier when he hasn’t done anything worth mentioning in 4 or 5 games. But you need to be patient with your better players. An intelligent owner will pick up a higher caliber player who is struggling.

When you try to find that free agent sleeper, focus on younger players or players who will be filling roles with better talent. If you find a 34 year-old winger who has never topped 50 points, then he probably won’t keep pace with those 4 goals and 3 assists in 4 games. Players with average track records will normally continue to be average. A player that immediately jumps out right now is Tyler Kennedy for the Penguins. Kennedy had two goals this weekend and looked like he could stick on one of the Penguins scoring units. He is young with a good ceiling and may continue to play with excellent talent, this is the kind of player you want.

Other than seeing Tyler Kennedy perform well, I learned three other things during the NHL European vacation.

1. Philip Kuba is the defenseman I want from Ottawa. He will log significant minutes this season, will play on the lethal top power play unit and has already produced 4 assists. Drop your worst defenseman and get Kuba, I expect about 45 points, a decent +/- and about 50-60 PIM.
2. Zherdev is on the second line in New York and must be significantly downgraded. Until he plays with better talent Zherdev will not be able to match the numbers he put up last season. Keep an eye on Drury to see if he gains enough starts to become a winger. Now, that would be a player I would want.
3. The Lightning lines are in a state of flux right now, which may become constant throughout the season. Even Lecavalier and St. Louis were split apart at times during the weekend. Keep an eye on this situation and snag whatever player ends up playing with Lecavalier and St. Louis. It will either be Malone, Prospal, Vrbata or Recchi, but I bet Prospal plays with the second unit to help Steve Stamkos’ transition to the NHL. My guess is Malone who will be able to do the dirty work and has enough scoring touch.

Lastly, I want to comment on the NHL’s possible, but doubtful, expansion to Europe. To begin, the logistics of this situation are a pure nightmare, I won’t go into each detail but to make a team fly 13 hours roundtrip in one week and have to play multiple games is purely silly. Not to mention the European team that would be making the trip much more often. Moving to Europe should be the last idea in the NHL’s mind right now. They can’t sell them game in the U.S. The NHL is still trying to recover from the lockout and hasn’t come close to catching up to the other major team sports. You don’t move to a new market when you are struggling to gain control of your base market.

The NHL needs to focus on two things, getting a TV deal with ESPN and producing better marketing with a player other than Sidney Crosby. Versus is killing the NHL, it is not provided by all cable providers and many who do get Versus, don’t realize they get it. The NHL needs to get back on ESPN, ESPN has cut hockey coverage because of this and NHL needs as much exposure as it can get.

The NBA, MLB and NFL all have several faces of the league, the NHL only seems to want to market Crosby. I understand that a certain Russian superstar may be not-so-good-looking and rough around the edges, but he loves the game and has a passion that rubs off on those around him. Ovechkin needs better exposure. Start marketing Lecavalier, Eric Staal, Toews etc. There are many great, exciting and most importantly marketable players. It baffles me that the NHL would consider moving to Europe when it hasn’t figured out North America yet. Ok, I’m done ranting.

As with any SportsJudge.com article, feel free to post a comment or question. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: War Room Strategy

Welcome back to another exciting edition of The Puck Stops Here. With drafts still going strong, I want to focus on strategies for your own drafts. There are a few trends I have noticed in the numerous drafts I have done that you may be able to take advantage of.

Get a Stud Goaltender: It is a must to try and get one of the top tier goaltenders. Brodeur and Nabokov are at the head of the class but the top tier also includes Luongo, Fluery, Lundqvist, Giguere, Turco, Price and Osgood. Most include Kiprusoff in this tier, but his GAA and S% have gotten worse the last couple of years and I just don’t think his peripherals support a high ranking. After this top tier you really start to get question marks. You will have to spend one of your first 3 picks to get one of these goalies, but getting one is like getting a running back that is not in a time share or suffers from a goal line vulture. You need to have a goalie that will post strong peripherals, won’t be at risk of a timeshare and has a good team around him to get him wins. The goalies mentioned above fit these qualities and you need to build your goaltender position around one of the top tier goalies. If you are going to stretch for a player it should be a goaltender (See below).

Forwards are Very Deep: I saw Anze Kopitar last until the 10th round when I gladly welcomed him to one of my squads. Ales Hemsky was sitting there in the 12th round in a couple drafts. Someone please explain why I was able to pick up Teemu Selanne in the 18th round. Are people paying attention? The answer is yes and no. Sure, these were steals and won’t happen every time but I think it is a product of there being so much depth as well as top heavy groups of goalies and defensemen. There are specialists who can be found up and down the draft board. There were 62 forwards that had at least 25 goals last year, 45 forwards with at least 40 assists and nearly a dozen forwards who are ownable simply because they help so much in PIM without hurting you elsewhere. Don’t feel pressured into taking forwards, be patient and make the value pick. If you are going to stretch at any position, get a goalie (See above).

Don’t Stretch for Defense: There just is not enough of a disparity to warrant taking multiple defensemen within your top ten picks. I believe that the only defenseman worth reaching for is Phaneuf. He is the only defenseman that contributes across the board in all categories above the rest of the top tier of defensemen. Beyond Phaneuf the rest of the top tier defenseman don’t separate themselves from each other. They either will help you a lot offensively but not at all with PIM, will do the reverse or will simply post above average numbers in both. In a recent draft, I waited until the 8th round to take my first defenseman and was able to come away with Andrei Markov and then Brent Burns four rounds later. I feel much better than the guy who spent two of his top ten picks to come away with Zdeno Chara and Brian Campbell. In those rounds I drafted Brendan Morrow and Shane Doan. Both will out perform Chara and Campbell across the board and Markov isn’t much of a step down from either.

Don’t Forget the Question Marks: What do Mats Sundin, Teemu Selanne and Joe Sakic have in common? At the start of training camp, none of them were on an NHL roster (Selanne has since signed). All of them will play and will give you excellent numbers, they just don’t feel like going through all 82 games. People either forget these players exist or don’t want to take the risk. Where these players are currently being drafted, the reward is much too great to ignore. Selanne will give you a point-per-game with solid peripherals. After the tenth round there isn’t a player who will give you that type of production. The same can be said for Sundin and even more so for Sakic. Sakic will play for Colorado and will be surrounded by a lot of talent, we still have no idea where Sundin will play. The same holds true for guys like Rod Brind’Amour who lost last year to injuries but were very productive. Brind’Amour isn’t being drafted in many leagues and he will give you just under point-per-game and PIM per game production.

Don’t Chase the +/– Category: All the time I hear people saying, “great pick, he’ll save your +/–”. That is pure and utter garbage. Sure, there are players who excel both offensively and defensively, but the last time I checked hockey was a team game. Last season, Dan Boyle’s and Brad Richards’ +/– wasn’t bad because of them, it was bad because the team was bad. It is not just about offense or defense, a team has to be solid on each side or +/– will suffer. The only sure thing for +/– this year is the Red Wings. Every other team has either offensive or defensive questions that could limit a player’s +/–. Keep +/– in the back of your mind when drafting, but there are no +/– specialists, so don’t try and find the answer in one player. Try to make sure you get players from teams who you think will be in the playoff hunt. Chances are that those players will be the ones with good +/–.

As with any SportsJudge.com article, feel free to post a comment or question. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

The Puck Stops Here: Welcome Back

Welcome back to another exciting edition of The Puck Stops Here. Summer has ended, days are getting shorter and the Detroit Lions are eliminated from playoff contention. That can only mean one thing; hockey season is around the corner. That’s right, in just over a week the first pucks of the NHL season will be dropped. The season kicks off with the Penguins battling the rival Senators in Sweden and the Rangers meeting the Lightning in the Czech Republic.

At this point fantasy hockey players fall into two groups. One group has drafted and should be keeping an eye on players who weren’t drafted but could do big things. The other group is preparing for their draft and should be getting a list of players they want to get, want to avoid and what sleepers to take and when. Nobody needs my help figuring out when to take Ovechkin or the Sedin twins, so this article will focus on more of the later-round players.

Most leagues are not won in the first rounds, rather the later ones where the next set of superstars are waiting. I won my league last year even though I drafted Ryan Smyth in the 6th round, Kari Lehtonen in the 7th round and Patrice Bergeron in the 9th round. I won by drafting Bryan Rafalski in the 10th round, Ales Hemsky in the 17th round and scouring the waiver wire for players like Pascal Leclaire, Andrei Kostitsyn and Johan Franzen. Finding those value picks and waiver wire sleepers is what wins leagues.

If you take 4 or 5 risky, high upside guys late in your draft, chances are that 1 or 2 of them will work out and help carry your team. With that said, these are some players I am targeting later in drafts.

Kris Letang (D, Pittsburgh Penguins): I have seen Letang drafted as high as the 14th round and as low as the 18th round, both in 12-team leagues. People should take more notice of Letang, especially with Sergei Gonchar’s injured shoulder. If Gonchar is out long term, Letang will man the left side of the Penguins umbrella power play to take advantage of his right-handed shot. Malkin is reportedly the umbrella quarterback giving him freedom to fire at will. Because Malkin is left-handed his one timers will be coming from the left wing. That’s right, Letang will be feeding Malkin all day. Expect big numbers. Letang will be the next big time offensive defenseman in the NHL.

Claude Giroux (RW, Philadelphia Flyers): Most people don’t know who Giroux is, those who have heard the name mistake him for the Claude Giroux who was Dink the Clown from the WWE. He is a riskier pick but his ceiling is as high as it gets. To say Giroux dominated the Q (Quebec Major Junior Hockey league) is an understatement. He had 106 points in 55 regular season games and 51 points in 19 playoff games. Not quite Lemieux but much better than Francois Leroux. He is small, but lightning quick with great vision and soft hands. He should be given every opportunity to get quality ice-time in Philly. Pass on dinosaurs like Brendan Shanahan and Keith Tkachuk late and pick up Giroux, he won’t disappoint.

Jason Williams (RW/C, Atlanta Thrashers): If you followed my articles last season, you know I am a fan of Williams. He’ll give you solid production in all categories. If he could ever stay healthy he could turn out to be a top 100 player. He broke out with Detroit in 2005-06, but has struggled to match those numbers due to injuries and lack of talent around him. However, don’t mistake his injuries for those of the tweaked groin variety, he has had bad luck with broken bone type injuries. He will find himself playing alongside Ilya Kovalchuk on both the first line and top power play unit. Williams has been productive and has never played with a player of Kovalchuk’s caliber. William’s will give you 10th round production at 17th round price.

Joni Pitkanen (D, Carolina Hurricanes): Pitkanen has been on the fantasy landscape for a while but has yet to fulfill the promise he showed in his early years. This has led to him being drafted in the 15th to 18th round. I know we’ve been down this road before with Pitkanen, but the situation is different. Two years ago, he played for one of the worst Flyers teams in recent history and, this past season, he was battling injuries and playing for the underwhelming Oilers. Pitkanen will get a clean slate in Carolina, who should be better than the teams he played for the past two years, and he should get significant power play minutes. Remember, he is only 25 and three short years ago he had 46 points and 78 PIM in only 58 games. Pitkanen could end up being your #2 defenseman, well above his current draft value.

Jack Johnson (D, Los Angeles Kings): Johnson brings hefty risk, but the reward could be immense. Johnson hasn’t shown that he is ready to be an elite defenseman but he has the pedigree, will get every opportunity to showcase his talents and has a pretty good supporting cast. The Kings got rid of both Rob Blake and Lubomir Visnovsky, as a result Jack Johnson is now their go to defenseman. He will work with the top power play unit, which has the talent to be very good. Just remember, his +/- will most likely be in the negatives. However, Johnson is going to be the face of the King’s organization for years to come and will get every opportunity to produce. I expect about 25 minutes of ice-time per game and won’t be surprised to see him get about 45 points and 120 PIM. Again, this is high risk high reward.

Erik Cole (LW, Edmonton Oilers): Let me preface this by saying I am very high on the Oilers this year. Cole will join Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky on Edmonton’s top line and power play unit. Both Hemsky and Horcoff were just under point-per-game players last year and I predict both will be point-per-game players this year. Cole’s production will be a byproduct of playing with these two talented forwards. Cole is being drafted higher than the players previously mentioned in this post, but he should provide very good production across the board. I expect about 80 PIM along with 70 points and very good power play statistics. You could do a lot worse than Cole in the 10th or 11th round.

Check back here over the weekend for draft strategy and post-draft advice. Until then, The Puck Stops Here.